Stay with me
by Jounah
Summary: Tsukushi and San Cai. One's already chosen who she will be with. The other...she has two paths as well. Two children come, each from the two paths, the two outcomes. Which one will she choose?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello! This is my first attempt at Hana Yori Dango. I'm so sorry if the characters seem OOC, but as I said, this is my first time. Also, take into account that Tsukushi grew up differently so relationships and whatnot might be a little out of the norm. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this first chapter and review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hana Yori Dango. The characters all belong to Yoko Kamio. Neither do I own the characters of Meteor Garden. They belong solely to the company that produced Meteor Garden.**

"Tsukushi, hurry up," Soujirou called from within the mansion, "or we'll lock you out. What are you waiting for, anyway?"

"I'm coming, Soujirou. Just hold on a second will you? Can't a girl even admire scenery?" Tsukushi muttered, stepping into the mansion, shaking the snow off her coat. A maid quickly ran up to her, helping her off with it. "I can do this by myself." The maid said nothing, but simply took the coat and hung it in a nearby closet.

"Tsukushi-chan, Tsukushi-chan, you have to see the backyard! It's absolutely gorgeous!" Her best friend Yuuki exclaimed, running down the hallway, her face alight with joy. Her slippered feet pattered across the golden wood floors as she quickly grabbed Tsukushi's hand. Tsukushi stumbled a bit, swiftly slipping on a pair of slippers before following her friend through a hallway lined with pictures of Akira and his family.

Tsukushi stared in awe at the garden; yes, they had many large ones at the Domyouji mansion, but this one seemed different somehow. It had a different air about it.

"Akira, did gardeners plant the flowers and trees?" She asked curiously, her eyes still focused on the willow tree, covered in sparkling white snow, as it swayed with the harsh winds of winter.

"No, my mother did, surprisingly. It was a long time ago, but one summer she simply got the urge to garden." He shrugged and continued, "So she took me with her and we chose some plants. I helped her all day; my hands and back were sore for who knows how long. But," he gave a small smile, "I guess commoners are right when they say stuff like that gives you some satisfaction."

"Yes, that's true," Tsukushi mumbled. Now she understood why this garden seemed so different. Akira and his mother had taken time out of their normally luxurious, business-filled lives to plant a garden together. She gave a small smile, already imagining a miniature version of Akira and his still young and beautiful mother digging holes and satisfactorily admiring their handiwork.

"See, didn't I tell you it was beautiful?" Yuuki spoke up, her hands pressed up against the window as she continued to stare at the snow covered garden. Her breath created a small layer of fog on the window.

"It is beautiful, more beautiful than the gardens at home, I have to admit. After all, Akira and Mimasaka-san put their entire being into this garden, and it shows. Yes, I really like it." She turned around, a beaming smile on her face. "Tsukasa-oniichan, your dearest younger sister has a request."

Her giant, bad-tempered, octopus head brother turned his head towards her, a lazy grimace on his face. "What is it now? Can I recline this request?"

Before Tsukushi could correct him, Soujirou inserted, "Tsukasa, it's decline, not recline."

"You could also say, "May I incline to this request?" That's an option as well," Yuuki added almost shyly.

"That's my girl," Soujirou stated jokingly, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. She blushed in return as he placed a chaste kiss on her cheek.

"Please, no PDA in front of us. There are still some pure beings in your presence." Tsukushi covered her eyes and turned around, shuddering.

"Don't be jealous, Tsukushi, just because you've never had a boyfriend or any other boy out of the F4 approach you. We can't help it if Tsukasa scares them all away before that. You virgins are so strange. Besides, it was just a kiss and not even one on the lips. We give those out all the time, and so do you. You kiss us on the cheek," he pointed out, "and we're guys." Soujirou shook his head. "But my dear Yuuki is heading down the right path. Yes, she is."

Tsukushi rolled her eyes in reply. "Yuuki, if I didn't know he was a good person to begin with, I would've never let you anywhere near him. And I'm proud to be a virgin. Of course, if it lasts past the time I turn 25, well, Tsukasa-oniichan had better go into hiding." She scowled. She was 17 for goodness sake, and she'd never had a boyfriend. It was all due to her older brother, Tsukasa, who wouldn't let any boy out of the F4 touch her. It could be rather embarrassing at times.

The two playboys were discussing Tsukushi's lack of outside male interaction, laughing and making comments on how she'd grow up to be an old maid who hadn't even gotten her first kiss yet. Slightly irritated, she suddenly blurted out, "Kazuya is a guy and Tsukasa-oniichan lets me hang out with him!"

Akira and Soujirou rolled their eyes and answered together, "We meant a normal guy, someone who doesn't act like a girl and could actually hurt you. But Tsukasa is cautious even with a shrimp like that."

She glared at them for making fun of Kazuya. Ever since Tsukushi had made friends with him in her first year at Eitoku, they'd taken an instant dislike to him, thinking him too weak and too girlish to actually be a guy, especially one to hang out with them. However, she decided she'd get them back later, maybe by putting bugs in their beds or something. She laughed to herself about this before clearing her throat, ready to get back on track. "As I was saying before, I have a request. Tsukasa-oniichan, when Tsubaki-neechan comes home from L.A. in the spring, we're going to plant a garden, okay?"

"Why would I want to do menial labor, when we could get some of the best landscape artists in the world to build something for you? Wouldn't that satisfy you more than some crap us three put together?"

Tsukushi sighed, rubbing her temples. Already she could feel an argument and headache coming. "Tsukasa-oniichan, they're called landscapers or landscape architects. Now come here." When he made no effort to even move a finger, she growled softly. Her brother could be so stubborn sometimes. She stalked over to him and grabbed his arm. With all the strength she could muster, she tried pulling him up, clenching her teeth. "Tsukasa-oniichan, stop being so stubborn! Come on, get up!" This continued on for a few more minutes, everyone watching with amused eyes as Tsukushi tried pulling Tsukasa by his arms and pushing him out of his seat. She almost stumbled backward as her brother stood; she smiled triumphantly, smugly noting that he had relented. As a little extra, she even gave him a good kick in the shin, watching in amusement as his expression became one of pain. Satisfied, she grabbed his hand and brought him over to the backyard entrance. "What kind of feeling does this garden, this place, give you?" She asked.

"It's white and brown; everything's dead, and that tree looks like it's puking," he replied monotonously, hands shoved in his pocket.

She sighed exasperatedly and said, "I'm not asking what you see, but what kind of feeling you get when you look at this place."

"It is devoid of all emotion, plain and simple. No life thrives there, only the cold harshness of reality," Rui spoke up sleepily, lying on his side in an armchair, eyes still closed.

"Now we all know how Rui depicts it," Akira spoke up dryly. "He's an optimistic person, isn't he? Then again, he is sleeping, so we don't know if those are his real thoughts or not. Maybe he's having a bad dream."

"Well, it's not like that for me," Tsukushi stated firmly. She turned to the garden and continued, "When I look at this garden, even in winter, I still feel this sort of warmness radiating from it. I can feel how much work and effort Akira and Mimasaka-san put into it. I want that kind of satisfaction too. I want to feel something like that. All my life, I've been given everything I've ever wanted without having to work for it. I get good grades in school, but I could do that even if I didn't attend classes because I'm a Doumyouji. So, Tsukasa-oniichan, when Tsubaki-neechan comes back from L.A., we're all going to plant a garden together and fill a little bit of that empty void in each of our hearts, okay? And everyone, I'm going to need your help too. I want all my friends to participate in it as well. It's a memory I want everyone to have." She smiled at each of them, her last one aimed at her brother who continued to look out at the garden.

"Of course I'll help, Tsukushi-chan. I think it'll be a lot of fun. You'll help too, won't you, Soujirou?" Although he didn't really want to exert himself for something as common-like as planting a garden, the questioning look Yuuki gave him caused the to sigh with guilt, running a hand through his hair before answering, "Yeah, I guess you can count me in too."

"Akira, you have to help with picking plants as well since you know more about this than any of us." Akira almost groaned. Curse his plant intellect. He furthermore knew that Tsukushi wouldn't take no for an answer, even if he gave her such an excuse that his mother would be going out of the country and he'd need to see her and his sisters off. She'd probably point out that he was probably glad they were going to leave him alone for a little bit, and it'd be good to get out of the house and spend it with friends. "Better than being alone in a large house," he could already hear her saying, a knowing look on her face.

"I guess…I'm in too," he mumbled none too happily.

"Hanazawa Rui-kun, don't think you're going to get out of this either." She skipped towards Rui's lithe form. She knelt down so they were eye level, and she gently poked his cheek. "Hanazawa Rui-kun, I know you can hear me. Please get up and tell me you'll participate. No, wait, you have to promise you'll help." She continued to tap his cheek until one of his eyes cracked open. For the first few years of their friendship, she'd been so entranced by his dark, marble-like eyes that she couldn't go a few minutes without staring. By now, however, her few minutes of entrancement had turned into a few seconds.

"Hanazawa Rui-kun, do you promise that no matter what day or time, you will come to the Doumyouji mansion and help plant in our garden? Do you pinky promise?" She held out her pinky, a serious expression on her face.

"Will you allow me to sleep and not bother me about this anymore until said day?" He murmured in return, his eyes fluttering open and closed, a yawn escaping him. Tsukushi nodded, her face still serious. He gave one of his rare smiles, one that flit across his face before raising a hand and intertwining his pinky with hers.

"Okay, everyone else has to pinky promise that they'll come to the Doumyouji mansion no matter what day or what time and help plant." She went around to everyone and had them go through the same process as Rui, a solemn expression still planted on her face. Everyone knew the consequences of their actions and wondered whether it was good or bad that they'd agreed. After all, Tsukasa had broken a pinky promise once when they were five, Tsukushi four. Tsukasa had told Tsukushi that he would take her to a zoo the next day, and they would spend some quality brother-sister time together. Instead, he'd snuck out early before Tsukushi had woken and made his way to Rui's house where Tsukushi found him after dinner. She'd kicked his shin and then taken to ignoring him for two weeks which was pure torture for Tsukasa. Tsukushi meant a lot to him after all. They could only imagine what kind of consequences Tsukushi would come up with now that she was older. The guys shuddered, knowing all too well how hard her punches and kicks were. When they were acting like idiots (which was most of the time), she'd punch or kick them, depending on the situation and position.

The last person she walked up to was Tsukasa. "Tsukasa-oniichan, I know you don't like exerting yourself for something that you don't like, but everyone else has agreed. It'll be fun, I promise!" Tsukasa stared down at her, a bright smile on her face, her pinky held out. He brought out his hand and intertwined their pinkies. She was important to him, and he wanted her to be happy. He hadn't done much in his life to make her smile, so it was better that he do his best before some guy took her away from him.

"There, that's everyone. Hm…I should ask Sakurako, Shigure, and Kazuya if they would like to help too. That'll be fun, won't it? Actually," she began mumbling to herself, "I think they said they were coming here too. Um, Soujirou, didn't you say that you saw those three at the first airport we stopped at?" Before Soujirou could answer, Tsukasa had already begun shouting.

"Monkey girl?! You're going to invite monkey girl too?!" Tsukasa exclaimed, his face vivid.

"Yes, I'm going to invite her as well. She's one of our friends. And don't call her monkey girl either, Tsukasa-oniichan. That's really rude." Tsukushi huffed, staring at him, hands on her hips.

"Oh, and you calling me 'octopus head' is any better?" He countered sarcastically.

"Yes, because it's called sibling affection. Now, what does everyone want for dinner? Do you want to go out or stay here? We could even try making our own food. Tsubaki-neechan started teaching me how to make this one food, and Yuuki has been helping me a lot as well. How about it?" She asked excitedly, staring at everyone's bored faces.

"We should just have the maids make us something and go play poker or something. I mean, what else are maids good for," Soujirou said, already heading down the hallway and to the stairs that would lead him to the upper level.

"I can think of a few," Akira stated, giving Soujirou a look, one that was only shared between them.

"Oh, goddess, I am not hearing this. I'm not hearing this," Tsukushi mumbled to herself, covering her ears.

"Yeah, stop talking dirty. You know this idiot girl can't handle it," Tsukasa said after them.

"It's not like you can either, Tsukasa-niichan," Tsukushi replied, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Why…you…!" Tsukasa got an offended/irritated look on his face and reached out a hand for Tsukushi. She gave a small yelp of surprise before darting down the seemingly long hallway and after Soujirou and Akira.

Yuuki giggled and sighed, deciding to follow after them. "Are you coming Rui-san?" When he gave no reply, she assumed he was sleeping soundly like usual. Looking around, she spotted a quilt and draped it over him before jogging in the direction the others had headed. Luckily, she could still hear Tsukasa's attempts at catching Tsukushi who could be heard throughout the mansion laughing like a maniac.

"Sorry, Yuuki!" Tsukushi exclaimed once, hardly out of breath, while running from Tsukasa who still hadn't caught her, even with his long legs. Yuuki had been wandering down the hallway, peering into each room to try and find Soujirou and Akira but to no avail. Luckily her hearing had been good enough that she'd heard a small commotion behind the door and smartly stepped back, watching with amazement and hardly any surprise as the door slammed open with a large 'bang!', and Tsukushi running out into another room across, Tsukasa getting closer inch by inch, and suddenly he wouldn't be on her tail anymore. It was something strange that Yuuki had yet to figure out.

She had another run-in with the Doumyouji siblings where she almost barely heard Tsukushi yell, "Four doors left!" Slightly confused she continued walking down the hallway until she came to the fourth door on her left. Apprehensively opening the door, she almost sighed with relief when she found Soujirou and Akira who were playing a game of poker, something that wasn't too exciting with only two people. She sat down with them and tried learning how to play poker. After the two were done explaining and a game was started, the bathroom door slowly opened, and Tsukushi's head popped out.

"Good; I think I've lost him for now. Whew, the guy sure can be persistent at times. Anyways, what are you all up to?" Instead of standing and walking, she took to crawling, searching back and forth, shutting the bathroom door behind her with a soft click, eyeing the bedroom door warily. Although she'd been raised to be a lady, Tsukushi hardly acted like one around those that she was really close to, which excluded her parents.

"What are you doing?" Soujirou asked, watching as she crawled quickly from one spot to another, trying to remain hidden.

"Hiding in case Tsukasa-oniichan comes in here. He's like a dog, I swear. Pretty soon he'll find me here, I just know it. As long as I lay low for a little, he might even forget about this whole ordeal."

"Tsukasa's dense, but not that dense," Akira pointed out, staring at his cards.

"There's always a chance it could happen, right? After all, we are talking about Tsukasa." Tsukushi said hopefully. She was getting really tired and couldn't continue running any longer. With his extremely long legs, Tsukasa would be able to catch her easier now that she was weakened, and she didn't really feel like getting caught.

The small turning of the doorknob alerted her senses, and she quickly rolled under the bed, making sure she hadn't left/wasn't showing anything that would give away her position. The bed skirt barely brushed the floor, and Tsukushi could thankfully see the feet that moved around. She almost stopped breathing when her brother's slippered feet came into view.

"Hey, has Tsukushi been in here? I've already checked the other rooms around this area, and she hasn't been in any of them." He looked at the trio seriously, swerving his head back and forth for any trace of his younger sister.

"Nope, none at all, surprisingly," Akira replied boredly, staring at the cards in his hand, the other tapping on the table lightly.

"Really?" He asked. "You didn't hear anyone sneak in or anything. You know that girl can be quiet when she wants to be." He added, remembering once when she'd snuck into his room during a thunderstorm. She'd crawled into his bed and had whispered, "Tsukasa-oniichan?" Of course, he put it off as some of his imagination or fatigue and so blew it off. He almost yelled when she'd tugged on his shirt.

Soujirou almost snorted as he replied, "Tsukushi quiet? The only time the girl is quiet is when she's playing the violin or piano with Rui. Even then, though, she sometimes hums to herself. She even talks in her sleep. The girl couldn't be quiet even if her life depends on it."

Under the bed, Tsukushi was slightly fuming. She could be quiet if she wanted. She was doing that now, wasn't she? And she talked in her sleep? …If that were true…sleeping in the same room with someone else could cause problems. She could be mumbling her biggest secrets to the world…such as the fact that she was totally infatuated with Hanazawa Rui.

Tsukasa paused, his eyes narrowing. "You guys are lying. Tsukushi's been in this room, and she's probably still in here." He began walking around, taking the time to search through dressers and the closet.

Tsukushi almost whimpered but instead waited until he was walking around in the closet, shuffling around. She rolled out from under the bed and ran out of the room, almost slamming the door, but remembering at the last second to shut it quietly. Running down the hallway, she looked left and right for the door that Tsukasa didn't know about. It blended in with the wall, a secret room that only she, Akira, and Rui knew about. She grinned in relief when she spotted the faint outline. She stopped before it and rushed in, evening her breathing, waiting until Tsukasa ran down the hallway, growling and muttering to himself.

"What'd you do to him this time?" Rui asked amusedly when she reached the top of the stairs. He lay in a hammock, staring out the window at the setting sun. His eyes flickered to Tsukushi who settled herself in a nearby chair, pulling her legs up to her chest. She looked around for a blanket and cuddled under it, sighing contentedly. He waited patiently, knowing she was just calming herself before she'd start ranting.

"Hanazawa Rui, do you know what Tsukasa-oniichan's problem is? I don't even remember what I said to make him so mad," Tsukushi muttered, looking around the room. "Hey, do you know if there's any paper around here? I want to write a letter." He wordlessly pointed to a desk drawer beside her. She opened it up and happily found a beautiful stationary with an angel feather border. She took out a pen and shuffled around for a hard surface to write on. "Tsukasa-oniichan probably didn't tell you, but I have a pen pal in Taipei. Her name is San Cai; she's older than me however, already attending a college called Ying De. From the way she described it, it's almost like Eitoku," she laughed. "It's filled with rich, snobby brats who hardly study and only worry about the latest fashion accessory and whatnot. She's become one of my closest friends outside of the F4 even though we've never met." She stopped her pen and took out another piece of paper; she'd been doodling on the previous one. Suddenly her eyes lit up and she exclaimed, "She told me she's coming to London as well! We're meeting tomorrow afternoon at Big Ben. I have to tell everyone so we can all go and meet her friends as well. San Cai said that they're dragging her here, telling her to relax from work."

Rui had turned his attention to the wall above, looking at the glow-in-the-dark stars he and Tsukushi had put up…ages ago. He couldn't see her face, but by listening to her voice, he could tell she was exceedingly cheerful and couldn't wait to meet the girl 'San Cai'.

"Hanazawa Rui, you're coming too, right? I want you to be there to meet my friend and hers. Please, Hanazawa Rui-kun?" His eyes shifted when he felt her warmth beside him. She gave him a look, slightly pleading but not. He contemplated his answer before allowing a sigh to escape him. He knew that no matter what, she'd force him to go. When she wanted something to happen, she made it happen regardless of what the circumstances were. Even though she shared a deeper friendship with him than with any other, even her brother, when she wanted him involved she was quite pushy…but it was in a good, Tsukushi-like way.

"…Alright," he replied.

The smile she gave him caused a flutter in his heart. It'd been a few months since Rui had made this new discovery. For much of his life he'd been in love with their childhood friend Shizuka. She was a kind, gentle heart who had befriended him, gradually bringing him out of his autism. He always thought—no, knew—that he had a special place in her heart just as she did his. The night of her birthday party, when she'd announced her return to France and severed her ties with her parents to pursue the career of a lawyer, his heart had broken. She hadn't told him anything about it. With Tsukushi's pressuring and pushing he'd followed Shizuka to France. He'd been happy there with her, taking strolls down the streets and talking about their childhood at night. He grew lonely, however, while she attended school during the day and worked under a lawyer at night. He came back to Japan and went through a phase where he dated women, kissed and flirted with them like Akira and Soujirou did. He'd watched the disbelief in Tsukushi's eyes when she'd first saw his actions. He remembered one night while they held an overnight party…she'd held him. He couldn't stand nights alone. He'd even gone through a small period where Tsukushi had coldly brushed him off and ignored him whenever they were in the same room or same space, something that happened only to Tsukasa when he'd done something bad. Afterwards he'd trapped her on the fire escape and demanded an explanation as to why she'd been acting the way she had. Well…he hadn't exactly demanded it, but more he'd asked her, in the same cold tone she'd addressed him, what he'd done. At first she'd replied scathingly, sarcastically, something that she never did around him. To Rui, he was facing a whole other side to Tsukushi. She'd begun ranting and continued until her tone became sad with a hint of anger, tears streaming down her face.

From that moment on, he watched Tsukushi closely. He began to appreciate the smiles she gave, the sparkle in her eyes, the deathly glares aimed towards Tsukasa, her excitement over simple commoner things, the happiness she showed when he played the violin for her, and so much more. No matter what, he hated seeing her in tears. She was a strong person who hardly ever cried. He admired that in her. Before he knew it, he'd be replaying the time he spent with Tsukushi, every word and gesture she made. He was always relieved when she came to the fire escape during lunch with something for them to share. During that time was when he was selfish, when he wished they could stay that way forever, just the two of them talking and eating together.

"Hanazawa Rui-kun, what are you thinking about?" Tsukushi asked. For the past few minutes she'd sat beside him, watching emotions flicker through his eyes. He'd seemed not to notice that she was still there beside him.

"Nothing," he replied, his usual answer.

"You're lying. Why are you lying? You know you can tell me anything. We're best friends…well…I'm your best girl friend and you're my best guy friend. So…what's on your mind?"

He almost blushed at their close proximity, but managed not to. Instead he answered, "It really is nothing."

"Oh," Tsukushi said with slight disappointment. "Well…if you want you talk about anything, I'm here, okay?" She moved back to the chair she'd previously occupied and began drawing, one of the few things she did when she didn't have anything else to do. "Hey, Hanazawa Rui, do you know if we still have that art easel up here? I feel like painting."

Wordlessly he pointed towards the window where, off to the side, sat an easel with a blank white canvas. Tsukushi excitedly walked towards it and grabbed a few paintbrushes and watercolor paints. She fixed it so her back was to the wall and the back of the easel was to Rui.

"I'm so glad Mimasaka-san has been kind enough to keep my paints updated, considering the fact that we hardly ever visit this place. At least she has a bathroom up here as well so I don't have to try and hide from Tsukasa-oniichan while carrying a bowl of water with me." She brought out a bowl of water and set it on a nearby table. She rolled up her sleeves and was about to dip into the paint when Rui asked, "Is that really appropriate attire to paint in?"

Tsukushi stopped and looked down at her clothes. She was wearing a pair of faded jeans and a white t-shirt with a panda sewn in the lower left corner. "Oh, thanks for reminding me, Rui. This is my favorite t-shirt, and although Tsukasa would say, 'We can always buy you another one,' she imitated in his gruff voice as best she could, I don't like wasting money for something as simple as this. She shuffled through a few things and pulled out one of Akira's old t-shirts. "This is perfect." She slipped it on and rolled up the sleeves. "You know, Rui, I've always questioned something. Do you know what it is?" She continued on, answering herself. "If our families are so rich, why don't we help the less fortunate? We could use our money for a good cause instead of spending it on extravagant homes, clothes, and accessories. For example, the ring that mama sent me, the money could've been used to feed children in Africa or in parts of Asia or anywhere in the world. Some of us are selfish people—no, actually, everyone is selfish in his or her own way. Most of the rich yearn for material things, not important things such as love and friendship. I mean, it's nice to live in luxury, but that can't replace the loneliness you feel when you see other kids with their parents and taking them for granted."

"That's why you have me, the rest of the F4, Shizuka, and all your other friends," replied Rui.

Tsukushi smiled. "Yes, that's true. Without all of you—without all of us together, none of us wouldn't be who we are now." Her eyes flickered up and then down as she continued painting. "I'm glad each and every one of you is a part of my life. You're all important to me."

"Mm-hm," Rui mumbled, his eyes slowly closing.

The next time Tsukushi looked up from her almost finished painting, Rui was fast asleep, his face as angelic as ever. Tsukushi took this moment to set down her brush and make her way to his side. She watched him, fascinated by how he could maintain such a poker face in front of others but lose it all while he slept. Slowly she reached out a hand and then hesitated before touching his face, her fingers lightly gliding over his cheeks, eye lids, nose, and mouth. She pulled back when he stirred. He'd felt her touch, her hand as cold as ice. He lay still again, not wanting her to know that he was awake. Slightly to his disappointment she retreated back to the easel and picked up her paintbrush. A roar from somewhere in the house startled them both. Tsukushi dropped her brush while Rui opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling.

"Where the hell is she?! I've searched the whole damn house, and I can't find her!" Tsukasa yelled. It was true; he'd searched the whole house and hadn't found her at all. He'd even taken the liberty of going outside and searching through the garden she loved so much. Either she was extremely good at hiding, moved when he moved, or she'd found some secret place he didn't know about.

"Uh-oh," Tsukushi squeaked. "I think it'll be safer if we stay up here for a little longer. Do you think he'll calm down if we wait a few more hours?" Rui shrugged his shoulders and sat up, groaning silently. Sleeping in a hammock wasn't as comfortable as a bed. He stood and stretched, leisurely making his way to where Tsukushi sat, finishing up the final touches on her painting.

"What'd you paint?" He asked. Rui was a little surprised at Tsukushi's reaction. She abruptly stood, trying to cover the painting, stuttering, "Uh-uh-uh, it's-it's nothing, really. It's-it's-it's one of my-my—uh, you wouldn't-you wouldn't like it. It-it's not done yet! Yeah, it's not done yet!"

"Yes, it is. You never move until a painting is done, and you're washing your brushes already. Or, rather, you were going to go wash them. Why would it be so bad? If it was as bad as any of Tsukasa's drawings, then it would make me wonder, but you're Tsukushi, and your drawings are always good. Now, why won't you let me see?"

Tsukushi stood in front of the canvas, contemplating, wringing her hands. Finally she gave a small sigh and stepped to the side. Rui moved forward and his face lit up. She'd painted him while he'd slept. Usually he hated getting his picture taken or being painted, but Tsukushi was an exception. He looked at it a few minutes more before turning to Tsukushi who was blushing, still wringing her hands.

"I don't understand why you're embarrassed. This is a good painting. Unless…you don't like the subject you chose." He teased her, something that was extremely un-Rui-like.

"N-n-no, of course not! I just-I know how you don't like being drawn or anything, so I was afraid that you wouldn't like it." She mumbled.

Rui flicked her forehead with his finger and gave a small laugh. "Of course I like it."

"Well you didn't have to flick me," she muttered, rubbing her forehead. "Rui, can you bend down for a second. You have something on your face." He did so, somewhat cautiously. Tsukushi brought up her hand and flicked his forehead. "Ha, payback."

"You're childish."

"Well you started it," replied Tsukushi, sticking out her tongue. "I need to wash the brushes. Rui, can you help me?" Instead of answering he grabbed a few of her brushes and walked towards the bathroom. She grabbed whatever he hadn't and followed after.

As they washed them off, Rui commented, "You've been calling me Rui."

"Yes, that is your name, isn't it?" Tsukushi replied distractedly, trying to remove some brown paint from a brush.

"You always call me 'Hanazawa Rui'," he continued, his eyes moving to the side to see her reaction.

She stopped what she was doing. "Oh…I didn't realize that. I guess it's just a habit."

"A…habit? How could it be one if you never call me 'Rui'?"

"Well, I always call you 'Rui' inside my head I guess. I just never use it when I speak because it would seem kind of strange and out of the norm for me." She stopped again, this time dropping her paintbrush into the sink. She'd just confessed that she talked about Rui inside her head, or at least thought of him up to a point that she called him Rui instead of Hanazawa Rui. To other people it would seem insignificant, but this was a big step. Ever since childhood, she'd known him as Hanazawa Rui, and that was that. She'd always called him Hanazawa Rui despite the fact that they were really close; it was a habit. And now…to simply call him Rui so naturally, so casually…well it was kind of awkward. It was almost like telling Rui that she liked him…in Tsukushi's eyes, that's what it seemed like anyways. After all, no one really thought about anyone inside their mind unless they liked or hated them with a passion.

"Um-uh-well-I-well-I have to go make sure the paint is drying well." She left in a hurry, leaving Rui to stare after her. She certainly was strange; anyone would admit that.

"Silly girl," he muttered, finishing up what the two had started.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I'm sorry this chapter is so short and that it's been a super long time since I updated. But, anyway, I hope you enjoy it nevertheless. Thanks for reading and reviewing.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hana Yori Dango. It belongs to Yoko Kamio.**

Tsukushi and Rui had remained in the attic, waiting until a little after dinner. Tsukushi crept down the stairs, warily searching for her older brother. There was no telling when he'd just pop out of nowhere. Rui, on the other hand, casually walked behind Tsukushi, eyes filled with amusement.

"Tsukushi!" Soujirou yelled, popping out from around the corner.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Tsukushi screamed shrilly, jumping almost a foot in the air. Behind her, Rui chuckled. Usually she wouldn't be so caught off guard, but there was something about Tsukasa that put a little fear in her…well…when he was seriously angry perhaps. Akira stepped out from behind the corner, laughing hysterically, Yuuki following behind, trying her hardest not to laugh. However, she failed, a few giggles escaping.

"That wasn't funny!" Tsukushi growled, punching Soujirou's arm. "I was actually freaked out!"

"I know," Soujirou replied. "That's what makes things so funny." To add an even more embarrassing factor, Tsukushi's stomach grumbled loudly. This was only logical considering both she and Rui had gone a few hours without food.

"Tsukushi, we made lasagna downstairs if you or Rui-san wants any. It's not that bad, actually, considering I had these two helping me." Yuuki offered, her smile growing wider at her friend's bright red face.

Tsukushi looked at her best friend skeptically. Well…if none of them was at the hospital, then the food must be okay, right? She and Rui followed the trio downstairs to the dining room. Tsukasa was no where to be found.

"Hey, where is Tsukasa-oniichan?" Tsukushi asked after spooning some warm lasagna into her mouth. She savored the food. It surprisingly wasn't that bad. She took another bite, waiting for someone to answer.

"He's probably in his room sulking or something," Soujirou replied, shrugging. "You know what he's like."

"Yep, that's a fact of my life." Tsukushi nodded, pretending to be sad. She covered her mouth after yawning suddenly. She took one last bite of her lasagna before putting the plate in the sink. "Well, I think I'll just go shower and sleep early. 'Night everyone." She waved goodbye before leaving the room.

As soon as they heard her footsteps fade away, Soujirou and Akira turned to Rui with mischievous looks on their faces.

"So, Rui, you and Tsukushi were left alone for hours. You didn't do anything that might make Tsukasa kill you, did you?" All Soujirou got as an answer was a glare from Rui.

Tsukushi stepped out of the bathroom after taking a quick shower. At least now she didn't feel as if she was going to fall over. It was only a little after ten, she noted, slipping under the comforters. She turned off her lamp and closed her eyes, instantly falling asleep.

A small jabbing in her side woke her up. She usually wasn't a light sleeper, but the jabbing was insistent. She opened her eyes and blinked a few times, yawning loudly, most unladylike. Her etiquette teacher would've definitely disapproved, but Tsukushi wasn't really into being a lady all the time and whatnot. She wasn't a natural like Shizuka nor was she so worried about it that she drilled it into herself to be ladylike. She was just Tsukushi, and if it wasn't for the fact that she loved her mother so much, she would've ditched the etiquette lessons and instead hung out with Yuuki at the mall or gotten a job at the dango shop like a normal teenager.

She reached out a hand for her lamp, stretching as far as she could. Apparently that wasn't enough. She sighed grumpily and slowly sat up, switching on the light. She turned to see if she'd accidentally left one of her text books on the bed and almost ended up screaming, or at least cursing loudly. Comfortably sleeping on the bed were two kids, a boy and a girl. They looked to be about four years old. The girl had long, dark, curly hair and porcelain pale skin, her features perfect and delicate. She wore a light pink princess-like nightgown. The boy, on the other hand, was also extremely pale with golden-brown hair. Both were breathing softly, their chests moving up and down. However, Tsukushi noticed that they were facing away from each other, their backs a few inches away from touching. The boy had been the one sleeping next to her, tucked into a ball, holding the blanket close. He must've been attracted to the warmth that radiated off her body.

Hesitantly, she reached out and shook the little boy first and then the girl. Groggily the boy awoke, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He blinked a few times, his eyes straying to her. A large smile crossed his face. "Hi, mama," he whispered. Tsukushi froze. Either the kid was delusional or his mother was very young; Tsukushi decided to go with the latter. However…looking closely…he did resemble….

"Rui?" She spoke out loud. The little girl stirred, pulling the blanket closer. Tsukushi peered at the girl once again. It was just a wild guess on her part, but…with the dark curls, the girl really did look a little like… "Tsukasa-oniichan…?" The little girl groaned then and slowly sat up, rubbing at her eyes. She sighed, groaned again, and then looked up, blinking. Now that they were both awake, she looked them over again. Their eyes were so similar; they could be twins. Their eyes were a deep chocolate brown, different in shape, but same in color.

"Mama, what's wrong?" The girl asked, yawning widely. 'Okay…' Tsukushi thought to herself, 'somehow, you have just become the mother of two children overnight. How the heck did that happen?'

"Uh-uh, c-c-could you two—could you two wait here for me? Mama's going to…I'm going to go talk to someone. I'll be back soon." The two children nodded, not really caring as they lay down, pulling the blankets up to their chins. Tsukushi quickly ran out, making her way to Rui's room. She didn't care if he was sleeping; he was going to help her solve this weird puzzle. Maybe it was all a dream. Perhaps too much studying had gotten to her.

"Rui?" She asked, opening his door after knocking once. "Rui?" She asked again, quietly stepping in. He'd left his curtains open slightly, allowing faint rays of the quarter moon to stream in. She could see his thin form under the blanket, his face buried in the pillows. "Rui?" She sat on the bed and shook him gently. "Rui, wake up. I need to talk to you." There was no use in calling him 'Hanazawa Rui' anymore. If she started calling him that again instead of just plain old 'Rui', he might get suspicious and figure out that she really liked him. "Rui, please." She pleaded when he refused to budge.

As if sensing her urgency, he gradually lifted his head, enough to look at her with at least one eye, waiting for her to talk. She fidgeted nervously under his gaze but said, "There are these two kids in my room. I don't know who they are. They both called me 'mama', and, well, I'm…confused." When he didn't say anything back, Tsukushi looked up. He patted the area beside him where she was sitting and scooted over slightly to give her more space. He didn't wait to see if she would comply; he instantly buried his face in the pillows and began sleeping again.

Tsukushi blinked. Did he just invite her to sleep next to him? But what about the two kids that were sleeping in her room? What if they woke up and wondered where she'd gone to? She had told them that she'd be back soon. It was like a promise, and she didn't feel like breaking a promise.

"Thank you, Rui. I'll see you tomorrow, then." She whispered before heading back to her room. She looked at the two kids who were sleeping, this time facing each other but on opposite ends, a wide gap between them. She didn't understand why they slept so far apart. Maybe they'd learned about 'cooties'? She shrugged, fixing the blankets around them before grabbing one for herself. She turned off the lamp and settled on the sofa. Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day.


End file.
